Israel threatens to bomb Baalbek Citadel, Lebanon calls for UNESCO intervention

Lebanon’s Minister of Culture, Mohammed Wissam Al-Murtada, stated that recent Israeli threats have targeted the renowned archaeological site of Baalbek, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Al-Murtada announced his formal request to Lebanon’s permanent mission to UNESCO in Paris to expedite follow-up actions with UNESCO’s director-general and relevant international bodies regarding recent complaints.

“Every remaining trace of conscience in the world must prevent Israel from carrying out its threats to bomb Baalbek Citadel, a cultural legacy inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list,” Al-Murtada said. “This heritage belongs not just to Lebanon but all of humanity.”

He urged all visitors, staff and residents near the citadel to evacuate the area, advising them to stay clear of the site and exercise caution in case of any attack.

The outskirts of the border towns of Labweh and Naqoura in southern Lebanon were subjected to shelling by an Israeli warship, while Israeli warplanes launched air strikes on the city of Nabatieh.

Read: UN urges protection of cultural sites after Israel strikes in Lebanon’s Baalbek